# How to Use an Audio-Technica Record Player: LP60X and LP120X Setup and Playback Source: https://turntablenest.com/blog/how-to-use-an-audio-technica-record-player Published: 2026-10-27 Publisher: Turntable Nest To use an Audio-Technica record player, fit the platter, mat and belt, connect it to powered speakers or an amplifier, set the PHONO/LINE switch to match what you plugged into, and lower the stylus on a record. The AT-LP60X is fully automatic, so one button does the last step; the AT-LP120X is manual and needs the tonearm balanced and set first. This guide covers both, in the order you will do things, plus the mistakes that cause low volume, hum and skipping. ## Which Audio-Technica model you have The two most common Audio-Technica decks behave very differently. The AT-LP60X family is a belt-drive, fully automatic player that runs at 33 1/3 and 45 rpm. You press a button, the arm lifts, travels to the record and sets itself down, then returns at the end of the side. The tonearm and cartridge are fixed in place, so there is nothing to balance. The AT-LP120X family is a direct-drive, manual turntable that also plays 78 rpm records. You cue the arm by hand or with the lift lever, and you set tracking force and anti-skate yourself. If you are not sure which one you own, look for the arm: a short straight arm that moves on its own is an LP60X-style player, a larger S-shaped arm with a counterweight at the back is the LP120X style. The steps below are marked by model where they differ. ## Unbox and assemble the platter, mat and belt Remove every piece of transit packaging first: foam around the tonearm, any tie holding the arm to its rest, and the clip or cover on the stylus. Keep the stylus guard in a safe place for moving the player later. Never touch the stylus with your finger. On a belt-drive LP60X, set the platter on its spindle and check the belt. The belt is a thin rubber loop that runs around the platter's inner rim and a small motor pulley. If it has slipped off the pulley, hook it back around the pulley by reaching through the opening in the platter, and make sure it is not twisted. Then lay the rubber or felt mat on top of the platter. On a direct-drive LP120X there is no belt: place the platter on the spindle and put the slipmat on it. If you later want a different surface, see our guide to slipmats. Put the player on a flat, solid surface away from the speakers. A shelf that shakes when you walk past will cause skipping and rumble. Use a level or a phone level app, and adjust the feet if the deck leans. [Compare slipmats](https://turntablenest.com/best/slipmats) ## Connect to speakers or an amplifier and set the PHONO/LINE switch Both models have a built-in phono preamp with a PHONO/LINE switch on the back. A turntable cartridge puts out a very weak signal that needs a phono preamp to bring it up to normal line level, and the switch controls whether the built-in one is on. Set it to LINE when you connect to powered speakers, a Bluetooth speaker with an input, or any input labeled AUX or CD. Set it to PHONO only when you plug into an amplifier input that is marked PHONO, because that input has its own preamp. Wrong setting is the most common cause of very quiet or very loud, thin sound. Plug the red and white RCA cables into the matching L and R jacks, then into your speakers or amp. If your powered speakers only take a 3.5 mm plug, use an RCA-to-3.5 mm adapter cable. Connect the thin ground wire to the ground screw on your amplifier or receiver if it has one. A turntable going into powered speakers with no ground post usually does not need it; a low hum on an amp with a PHONO input is the sign it does. If you want a wider choice of speakers that accept a line-level signal directly, see our guide to powered bookshelf speakers. If you are building around a receiver with a PHONO input and want to bypass the built-in preamp, read our phono preamp guide. [Powered bookshelf speakers](https://turntablenest.com/best/powered-bookshelf-speakers) ## Set tracking force and anti-skate (LP120X only) The LP60X comes pre-set, so skip this section. The LP120X needs the arm balanced. With the stylus guard off and the anti-skate dial at zero, release the arm from its clip and turn the counterweight until the arm floats level. Then, holding the counterweight still, turn its numbered ring to zero. Now turn the whole counterweight forward until the ring shows the recommended tracking force for the cartridge fitted. Check the specification for your cartridge; many moving magnet cartridges of this type are specified at roughly 1.5 to 2.5 grams. A digital stylus force gauge is the surest way to verify the number. Set anti-skate to the same number as the tracking force as a starting point. Anti-skate counteracts the inward pull on the arm during play, and incorrect settings show up as distortion on one channel or the arm drifting. Our articles on setting tracking force and anti-skate go through the symptoms in detail. [Stylus force gauges](https://turntablenest.com/best/stylus-force-gauges) ## Play a record step by step Clean the record surface with a dry anti-static brush before the first play. Put the record on the platter. Albums play at 33 1/3 rpm and most 7 inch singles at 45 rpm, so set the speed first. On an LP60X, use the speed selector on the plinth. On the LP120X, use the speed buttons on the plinth. For the LP60X, press the start button and the arm will do the rest. To stop early, press stop and the arm returns. For the LP120X, press start/stop to spin the platter, lift the arm with the cueing lever, move it over the lead-in groove, and lower the lever. At the end of the side, lift the arm and return it to the rest by hand. Keep the dust cover down while playing, since airborne dust and bass vibration from speakers can affect the stylus and the sound. Never press the platter or the arm by hand while it moves. Put the record back in its sleeve when you finish. ## Common problems and quick fixes Low volume or thin sound usually means the PHONO/LINE switch is wrong. A steady low hum through an amplifier points to a loose or unconnected ground wire. Skipping most often comes from a shaky surface, a dirty stylus or a badly worn stylus. Clean the stylus with a soft brush from back to front, and replace it when it is worn. The cartridge fitted to many Audio-Technica decks takes a replacement stylus that you can usually fit by hand, and our replacement stylus and moving magnet cartridge guides list compatible options. If speed sounds wrong on the LP60X, the belt has most likely slipped off the pulley or stretched. If a record plays too slowly on the LP120X, check the pitch control is set to center and the speed button matches the record. [Replacement styli](https://turntablenest.com/best/replacement-styli) ## Frequently asked questions Do I need a separate preamp for an Audio-Technica turntable? Not if you connect to powered speakers or an AUX input: set the switch to LINE and the built-in preamp does the work. You only need a separate preamp, or a receiver with a PHONO input, if you want to use a better one than the built-in stage. Can I use Bluetooth speakers? Only the Bluetooth versions of these decks, such as the wireless LP60X-BT, can send sound wirelessly. A standard model needs a cable or a separate Bluetooth transmitter. How often should I change the stylus? Estimates commonly run from about 300 to 500 hours of playing time for a conical or elliptical stylus. If you play an hour a day, that is about a year. Replace it earlier if you hear distortion or see a bent tip. Can I play 78 rpm records? The LP120X can. The LP60X cannot, because it only offers 33 1/3 and 45 rpm. A 78 also needs a stylus with the right size tip. ## Related buying guides - https://turntablenest.com/best/replacement-styli - https://turntablenest.com/best/moving-magnet-cartridges - https://turntablenest.com/best/powered-bookshelf-speakers - https://turntablenest.com/best/stylus-force-gauges